White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Friday evaded a question about whether President Biden has confidence in New York government Andrew Cuomo amid the controversy surrounding the aforementioned COVID-19 deaths in the state’s old age home .
Psaki was asked if the president has confidence in Cuomo, after Biden presented a group of bilingual governors and mayors in the White House to discuss response efforts over the coronavirus.
FEEDBACK: FAUCI PRICE NEW YORK’S REPLY TO COVID-19
“Today, the President hosted Governor Cuomo and a two-group group of governors and mayors to get their perspectives off the front lines – to give no one a stamp of approval or to seek their stamp of approval, and to urge discuss to succeed the American Rescue Plan, “Psaki said, adding that the president” is committed to working with governors and mayors. “
“The Cuomo government is the governor of one of the largest states in the country – one of the places where the pandemic hit the hardest, the earliest,” Psaki said. “There are still a lot of Americans who are still struggling to get vaccinated and get it right, so it was important to have him as part of the assembly.”
Biden has praised Cuomo’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic in New York in the past, saying the governor’s daily briefings were “a lesson in leadership” and said he was doing “incredible work”.
At the “Tonight Show” in April last year, Biden said that Cuomo is a kind of gold standard.
Psaki’s comments come as Cuomo was scrutinized for his handling of the pandemic.
Last month, New York Attorney General Letitia James said COVID-19 deaths in the state nursing home were down by as much as 50%. And things escalated Thursday after a report by a Cuomo top aide told leading Democratic lawmakers that the government withheld data on COVID-19 deaths at nursing homes to avoid federal investigation.
But last year, Cuomo appointed nursing homes in the state to accept patients who had or are suspected of having COVID-19. The decision sparked an attack on COVID-19 cases that infected thousands of elderly patients and resulted in hundreds of deaths among the state’s most vulnerable population.
According to James, a new report revealed that on January 27, 2021, there were 5,597 confirmed deaths due to COVID-19 in nursing homes and that there were 2,783 suspected deaths. In emergency care facilities, there were 160 deaths and 52 suspected deaths.
James’ report states that the government’s guidelines requiring the admission of COVID-19 patients to nursing homes could put residents at greater risk of injury in some facilities and that the available data has been obscured to determine the risk.
Cuomo, who took questions from reporters last month following the release of the report on deaths in nursing homes, defended himself, saying, “Everyone did the best they could.”
Cuomo said during the press conference that the state is following federal leadership. “If you think there was a mistake, talk to the federal government,” he said. “It’s not about pointing the finger or blaming, it’s become a political football.”
Cuomo defended the nursing home policy in line with the then leadership of the Trump administration.
James’ report states that the government’s guidelines requiring the admission of COVID-19 patients to nursing homes could put residents at greater risk of injury in some facilities and that the available data has been obscured to determine the risk.
The Attorney General’s Office (OAG) has asked 62 nursing homes to provide information on deaths in their facilities.
FEEDBACK: FAUCI PRIZES NEW YORK’S CORONAVIRUS ANSWER: ‘THEY DID IT CORRECTLY’
The report, which reveals the findings of an inquiry into allegations of neglect of patients and other “behaviors” that endanger the health and safety of both patients and staff, said some facilities do not comply with the health protocols to stop the spread of the virus. .
Nursing homes with low U.S. Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services’ staff ratings were found to have higher COVID-19 mortality rates.
In addition, the lack of adequate personal protective equipment for staff, as well as the low availability of tests, would also have increased patients’ risk of contracting the virus, the report said.
About 70% of the nearly 35,000 COVID deaths in New York were people aged 70 and older, according to state data as of January 28th.
Investigations into more than twenty nursing homes, the report of which was particularly worrying during the first wave of the pandemic, are still ongoing, James added.
“As the pandemic and our investigation continue, it is imperative that we understand why the residents of New York City’s nursing homes have suffered unnecessarily at such a alarming rate,” James said in a statement. “While we cannot bring back the individuals we lost to this crisis, this report seeks to provide transparency that the public deserves and to encourage increasing action to protect our most vulnerable residents.”
Meanwhile, Psaki was asked last month whether the White House would support a federal investigation into the case.
“Any investigation will be led by the Department of Justice,” Psaki said.
During her press conference, Psaki added a look at the Trump administration: “We are in a new era where they are independent and will determine what steps they take forward.”
Fox News’ Peter Doocy and The Associated Press contributed to this report.